[NFB-Muslims] Wishing You The Best Of Health And Spirits On This Special Day

[Tas A]

Dear Mr. President,
Sincerely appreciate this email especially the message behind bringing people together with a purpose and the connections that you highlighted throughout. Thank you!

Best regards 
Tasnim

> On Apr 9, 2023, at 9:41 AM, Kane Brolin <kbrolin65 at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
> Hello to all those who have joined, or who are in sympathy with, the
> National Federation of the Blind of Indiana.
> 
> It could be argued that April 9, 2023 marks the most important day of
> the year for those who observe the Roman Catholic and Protestant
> traditions of Christianity.  But, unlike most years, during this
> particular season in 2023 we find ourselves at a time that is sacred
> to all three major faith traditions celebrated in the Western world.
> For Christians, today is Resurrection Sunday or Easter.  For those of
> the Hebrew faith, the Passover is being celebrated and will continue
> to be observed for the next few nights, including tonight.  And for
> those who confess Islam, the season of Ramadan extends from now until
> the evening of Friday, April 21, when al-Fitr (the breaking of the
> fast) is observed.
> 
> Of course, many of us probably have just come home from Easter mass or
> from a Resurrection Sunday service. For those who confess Jesus Christ
> as Lord and Savior, Easter usually is celebrated in a church service
> with lots of others, many of whom we will never have a chance to talk
> to.  But in the Hebrew faith, the Seder is a Passover tradition
> celebrated within the family.  This is not done haphazardly; rather,
> this observance consists of choreographed elements--actions performed,
> questions asked, and responses said--that have been passed down for
> many generations.
> 
> So how can we help a Jewish family to fully integrate their blind
> family members while performing this traditional rite?  Refer them to
> the article "Including Your Child Who Is Blind Or Visually Impaired In
> Passover Traditions."
> https://familyconnect.org/blog/familyconnect-a-parents-voice/including-your-child-who-is-blind-or-visually-impaired-in-passover-traditions/
> 
> What about Muslims who want to include blind family members more fully
> as they interface with their own Ramadan tradition?  Start by
> referring to the Islam By Touch YouTube channel:
> https://www.youtube.com/@IslamByTouch.
> 
> The Islam By Touch organization has an ambitious goal of producing the
> Quran in Braille in North America and of providing the most accurate
> rendering of this important work in English to North American Muslims
> free of charge.  While most of us receiving this message likely are
> not Muslim, all of us in the Federation do stand behind the use and
> spread of Braille.   By 2040, according to the Pew Research Center,
> Muslims will replace Jews as the nation’s second-largest religious
> group after Christians. And by 2050, the U.S. Muslim population is
> projected to reach 8.1 million, or 2.1% of the country’s total
> population — nearly twice the share of today.  It is not unreasonable
> to suspect that out of those 8 million, somewhere between 80,000 and
> 150,000 Muslims in the USA will also be living with the condition of
> blindness.  Approached properly, many of those individuals will stand
> beside us in our efforts to achieve equality, opportunity, and
> security for the blind.
> 
> So as you meet an individual or family with one or more blind members,
> and who observe a faith tradition other than the one you might have
> grown up with or adopted yourself, try to go the extra mile, be
> sensitive to their faith tradition, and suggest ways that the
> Federation and other organizations with a similar aim can help them
> empower their blind family members and friends to learn and use
> nonvisual techniques and tools like Braille to be active in their
> faith tradition .  I am convinced that done right, this will result in
> more Federation members and will strengthen our movement as it comes
> to look more like the North America we live in today.
> 
> Regardless of what faith tradition you observe, or even if you choose
> not to be a part of any organized religious movement, I wish you
> happiness and peace as we advance into spring and continue to build
> the Federation in Indiana and throughout our region.
> 
> Cordially,
> 
> Kane Brolin
> President, Indiana State Affiliate
> National Federation of the Blind
> (574)386-8868 (mobile)